


Anger Doesn't Burn As Hot

by gmw



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Kylo Ren Throws A Tantrum, M/M, hux calms him down, kylo is a v broken soul, kylo ren has a breakdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 19:06:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6127063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gmw/pseuds/gmw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo has multiple types of outbursts.<br/>The most common is simply born of anger and frustrations.<br/>The others often harbour darker motives and emotions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Anger Doesn't Burn As Hot

**Author's Note:**

> kylo is dealing with some serious emotional turmoil. him and hux really aren't very good at talking about feelings. they are good at embraces though.

Kylo has multiple types of outbursts.  
The most common is simply born of anger and frustrations.  
The others often harbour darker motives and emotions.

Hux is always there, somehow, often to Kylo’s dismay. When Kylo has a regular rage-induced paroxysm, Hux simply enters the room and grasps any part of Ren he can – a wrist, a shoulder, a neck – and holds it tightly.  
He says noting.  
Kylo sometimes splutters out frustrations “Get off me!” “Fuck off, Hux!” but they’re just a way to release remaining fury.  
Hux glares and keeps his grip – not enough to hurt, but enough to firmly say “I’m not happy with this”. Sometimes a glare or a growl from Hux will follow as he brings Kylo down from his fury. Hux is frustrated – more paperwork and expenses – and wants Ren to know.

But sometimes, this is not the appropriate course of action on Hux’s behalf.  
Sometimes it isn’t just Ren’s anger. Sometimes it’s something that cuts deeper.

Hux is still there somehow, silent as ever. He can tell when it’s just indignation and when it’s not. Kylo’s style of lashing changes, it becomes more desperate. Sometimes Hux can see the glimmer of tears running down Kylo’s cheeks, the fear in his eyes as molten metal spits around him, the tremor in his hand causing his entire saber to shake while it mercilessly savages another console.  
Hux didn’t see these signs the first time it happened.

He approached Kylo with as much ill temper as normal, frustrated at Ren’s lack of control. He snatched his wrist and Kylo snapped. Fractured sobs accompanied spews of nonsense as Ren violently thrashed his entire being in attempts to free himself of Hux’s grasp. Hux panicked; he held tighter. Kylo’s control ceasing to exist led to Hux being unintentionally beaten. Ren finally freed himself and ran.  
Hux was in shock.  
He had to force himself to regulate his breathing and was pretty sure he was bleeding somewhere. Hux slid down the wall to sit among the debris, attempting to make sense of the brutal situation that unfolded before him.  
Kylo and Hux didn’t speak for 9 days.

 

The topic was never discussed but they both shared a mutual understanding, arguably Hux more than Ren. Hux now knows these signs. He knows how to read the masked knight. To some extent. And now he knows what to do. Sort of.  
He’s there. Silent. He knows Kylo’s breaking more than usual.

“…Ren”

Regardless of the care in which Hux spoke, Ren jerked violently before returning to his manic state.

“Ren, please…”

Hux reaches for a wrist, the grasp loose.  
The grasp wasn’t saying ‘Stop! You insufferable piece of shit!’ as usual, but rather ‘Kylo, I’m here. You’re not alone. Feel me. I’m here.’  
Hux slowly finishes the grasp round his wrist, gaining Ren’s attention. His neck whips round, fire blazing dangerously hot in his hazel eyes, sweat mixing with the tears pouring relentlessly.

“Kylo…”

Hux takes a risk. He needs to. He could lose an arm but he does it anyway.  
With his free hand, Hux reaches up to Kylo’s hair, gently moving it from his face behind his ears, eventually finding solace in placing his hand on Kylo’s stained cheek.  
Ren stops. Everything. He freezes, cold terror ripping through him.  
A shattered whisper of ‘please’ leaves his panting lips as he sinks to the floor with Hux following him. Kylo is broken.

Hux holds him together. His hands not moving – providing something to remain constant while Kylo collapses in despair beneath him. Ren’s heart threatens to tear a hole in his chest with its relentless pounding.  
They stay still, for some amount of minutes, terrified to move. Hux constantly watching Kylo, studying him, concern painted across his face. Ren eventually gazes up to meet the General’s eyes, pleading with him. Hux pulls the knight close -arms determined to form a protective barrier. Kylo finally gives in to his inner turmoil and howls with agony against Hux’s chest, causing him to hold Ren impossibly tighter. Sobs claw through Kylo. No physical wounds, but so much hurt inside there’s barely anything left to heal.  
But Hux still holds him, gently rubbing his face into Ren’s knotted hair, mumbling something or another. Probably planet names – he learnt it calms Kylo well.

 

Almost an hour passes with them on the ground with the ashes, Kylo screaming his pain as if it was his only purpose in life, and Hux holding the pieces of Kylo together. Ren eventually wears himself out until he’s simply a quivering, whimpering mess.

“Come…” Hux mumbles gently rising to his feet and bringing his mess of a lover with him.

Sometimes Hux walks Kylo to his room, sometimes he supports Ren’s pitiful frame [no troopers dare come in proximity] but sometimes even that isn’t enough. Hux sweeps Kylo up, one arm beneath his knees, the other his shoulder blades, carrying Ren as he presses close to Hux’s chest, still panting, still sobbing and still attempting –but failing- to scream.

Eventually making it back to Hux’s quarters, he slowly places Ren down upon his immaculate bed. Kylo, still shaking, is unable to process much, let alone perform useful, conscious actions. Hux begins removing Kylo’s boots, his cowl, his robes; Kylo not protesting, just not in a position to help. Hux leaves him to finds a pair of Kylo’s sweats from his wardrobe to place him in. [He always kept some of Kylo’s clothing.] He helps Kylo settle into his bed, sheets wrapped around him, mimicking Hux’s own caress, while Hux too strips down to more comfortable clothing. He joins Ren in bed, pulling the covers over both of them.  
Kylo seemed but a shell of a person: his mind racing while his body froze. Hux tucked a loose piece of hair behind Ren’s ears again.

“Kylo…” he whispered

Ren’s eyes shot up to view Hux clearly for the first time, childlike panic drowning in his glazed eyes.

“Do you see me?” Hux doesn’t mean it literally, Kylo’s always been able to see him. No, he meant whether not Ren was freed from his conniption enough to regain his awareness.

“… …yes”

Kylo had.  
Hux blinks slowly, a hand stroking Ren’s cheek. He holds off for a second before pulling Kylo towards him again, finally feeling the tense muscles release in Ren’s body.  
They stay like this. Interlocked. Entwined. Together. The hold no longer desperate, but rather cherishing the presence of each other.

Kylo was still shaken. He was still very much broken. But right now, he was okay. He had Hux.  
They both ended up drifting off together, no one possessing so little sense as to disturb them.

Before he falls under the heavy hand of sleep, Kylo makes a promise: he’ll talk to Hux. About this. About everything he harbours deep inside. About everything constantly pulling him apart.  
He will.  
He means it.  
Just, not today. But one day he will.

One day.

**Author's Note:**

> [[[if you enjoyed this, come drop me a message at my [tumblr](http://g-m-w.tumblr.com) (´▽`) ]]]


End file.
